Health Commissioner Educates A’Ibom Traditional Rulers, Council Chairmen on Prevention of Corona Virus
By Shadrach Okon
The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Health Dr. Dominic Ukpong has highlighted regular handwashing, good cough etiquette, social distancing, staying away from sick people and prompt report to the nearest health facility when ill as some of the safety measures to prevent the spread of Corona Virus.
The State Commissioner of Health highlighted the safety measures recently at Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Council Uyo, while sensitizing royal fathers and local government chairmen in Akwa State on how to prevent the spread of the disease.
The sensitization programme was carried out as a response to the call which His Eminence, Nteyin (Dr.) Solomon Daniel Etuk, Oku Ibom Ibibio and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Council of Chiefs, called on the commissioner to educate traditional rulers and local government chairmen in the state on how to prevent the spread of Corona Virus in Akwa Ibom State.
Dr. Ukpong, said the virus which can stay alive for five days on a surface takes the period of 14 days to manifest symptoms in an infected person. He informed traditional rulers and local government chairmen that the easiest way to contract the virus is through the hands and advised that people should take good care of their hands by frequently washing their hands with soap and running water and do well to dry them with tissue paper instead of hand towel which may have been earlier used by an infected person.
He stated clearly that alcohol, bitter cola and chloroquine cannot treat the disease as speculated and stressed the need for Akwa Ibom people to always visit the nearest hospital when they are ill rather that resorting to self medication or patronizing medicine stores and road side drug dealers without referral from medical doctors from approved hospitals.
The Health Commissioner assured the royal fathers and local government chairmen that the state government through the Ministry of Health has made adequate preparation to tackle the disease which has not yet been discovered anywhere in the state. He added that some members of the Akwa Ibom State Rapid Response Team (RRT) are screening passengers at the most critical point of entry to the state, the Victor Attah International Airport.
Responding, His Eminence, Nteyin (Dr.) Solomon Daniel Etuk, Oku Ibom Ibibio and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Council of Chiefs who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers thanked the Health Commissioner for responding to the call to sensitize traditional rulers and local government chairmen in the state on how to prevent the spread of the disease and promised that the traditional rulers and local government chairmen will take the message to their subjects at the grassroots in the state.